Electrical connector



Feb. 13, 1968 D. R. COLDREN ET AL 3,369,212

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 24, 1965 INVENT DANIEL Ru u. CoL EN RALPH Ru l Au United States Patent 3,369,212 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Daniel Russell Coldren, Enola, and Ralph Rupp Lau,

Harrisburg, Pa., assiguors to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Nov. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 509,518 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-32) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A female contact or receptacle is provided which accepts a male tab member and is positionable on a panel, printed circuit board, or the like. The receptacle may be mounted parallel or perpendicular to the board depending upon the particular system in which the receptacle is used. Various modifications of the receptacle are provided, differing in mounting techniques or in the direction from which male tabs are receivable.

In the electrical industry today there are numerous applications which utilize modular components wherein numerous panels or printed circuit boards or the like are employed. These boards or panels are frequently quite small in size and a great number of such boards may be employed in a single system. The need has therefore arisen for an electrical contact which may be used in conjunction with such boards or panels for connecting such panel to some other component in the electrical system. Such a contact must be relatively inexpensive because of the great number of contacts which would be necessary in such a system.

An object of this invention is to provide a female contact which is easily connected to a printed circuit board or panel for electrically connecting such board or panel to another electrical circuit member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a female contact which is relatively inexpensive to produce. A further object is to provide a female contact which will receive a male tab from either of two opposite directions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a contact having means to prevent the over stressing of the tab receiving portion of the contact.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing a plurality of contacts mounted on a printed circuit board; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a printed circuit board 8 having a plurality of contacts 10, 10', 10", and 10 mounted thereon. As will be seen the various forms of contacts shown are quite similar, varying only in certain details which permit a great degree of versatility of the contact in adapting to various circuit requirements. The various elements which are common to all of the contacts iice shown have been assigned the same reference numerals throughout the views.

The contact 10 is shown mounted perpendicularly to the printed circuit board 8 and comprises a generally rectangular strap portion having side walls 14, 16, 18 and 20, the side wall 18 being split as indicated at 22. A pair of tines 24 and 26 extend from side walls 14 and 18 respectively and are bent at substantially right angles to said side walls so that the said tines lie flush against the upper face of board 8, the said tines being in position to be electrically connected to a conductor lying along the face of board 8. Projecting from the opposite sides of walls 14 and 18 are flanges 28 and 30 respectively, the said flanges being bent to lie flush against the under face of board 8 to thus securely position the contact. The tine 26 and flange 30 are split similarly to side 18. By locating the contact within a rectangular aperture in board 8 the split side of the contact is prevented from opening.

A pair of spring members 32 and 34 project from side walls 16 and 20 respectively, the said spring members defining a longitudinal passageway through the contact which is open from end to end to receive a male tab. The springs 32 and 34 have converging portions and terminate in a pair of parallel portions 40 and 42 respectively. Projecting from portions 40 and 42 respectively are a pair of ears 44 and 46, the said ears serving to partially enclose the longitudinal passageway to insure the proper positioning of a male tab therein, said ears further having portions which overlie the opposite spring member to which the ear is attached to thereby serve as a means which limits the outward deflection of the spring mem bers and thereby prevents over stressing.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1 the contact 10 can receive a male tab member through the strap portion thereof. The contact 10' is identical to contact 10 with the exception that the spring members 32 and 34 are provided with flaired ends 48 and 50 respectively, the said flaired ends providing a guiding means which will permit a male tab to be inserted into the contact 10 from the lower end of the longitudinal passageway. This additional feature is desirable in that it permits stacking of boards such as 8 and a male tab secured to a second board could be positioned either above or below board 8.

A further modification of the contact is illustrated at 10", the said contact being identical to contact 10 with the exception that the tines 52 and 54 extend from opposite ends of the same side of said contact to thus permit the contact to be mounted parallel to the board 8. The tine 52 projects from side wall 18 of the strap portion and tine 54 projects from ear 46.

A still further modification of the contact is illustrated at 10", the said contact being identical to contact 10" with the exception that the spring members 32 and 34 are provided with flaired end portions 48 and 50 respectively to thus permit insertion of the male tab from either end of the longitudinal passageway. A pair of male tabs 36 and 38 are shown in phantom adjacent contact 10" to illustrate the manner of entry of such tabs intothe contact.

It can thus be seen that the present invention has provided contacts which are extremely versatile in allowing modular components to be connected in a number of various configurations. Further, the contacts are all formed from a single blank to thereby render the contact relatively inexpensive to produce and yet sturdy and rigid in construction.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered 3 by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A female receptacle having a longitudinal passage extending completely therethrough for reception of a male tab member, said receptacle comprising a generally rectangular strap portion, means extending from at least one of a first pair of opposite sides of said strap portion for securing said receptacle on a board member, tongue means extending from a second pair of opposite sides of said strap portion and forming opposed walls of said passage, said tongue means having a converging portion and a parallel portion for resiliently engaging a male tab inserted through said passage, an ear extending from each of said tongues and substantially perpendicularly thereto, each said ear having a first portion defining a wall of said passage and a second portion overlying the opposite tongue to which said car is attached to limit the outward movement of said tongue, said ears being attached to said tongues at the said parallel portion thereof, and additional means integral with said receptacle for securing said receptacle on a board member.

2. A female receptacle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said additional means extends from the other of said comprising a diverging portion on said tongue means adjacent the free ends thereof to permit insertion of a male tab member from either end of said passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,451,296 4/1923 Gibbons 339259 2,765,453 10/1956 MacFarlane 339258 2,969,521 1/1961 Scoville 339-32 3,120,990 2/1964 Kinkaid 339259 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,105 4/1940 Great Britain.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

